seabury



'2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

.0. L. SEABUBY.

NAPHTHA ENGINE.

Patented 1808.20; 1888.

PETERS. PhnwLmlogmphar, Washington, a. c

2 Sheets (No Model.)

Sheet 2.

G.-L. QSEABURY.

NAPHTHA ENGINE.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

CHARLES L. SEABURY, OF NEYV YORK, N. Y. ASSIGNOR TO THE GAS ENGINE AND POWER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

NAPHTHA=ENG|NE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393.080. dated November 20, 1888.

Application filed June 9, 1888. Serial No. 276,555. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES L. SEABURY, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in NaphthaEngines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of my improved naphtha engine when applied to the operation of a. water-supply pump; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the engine and pump, partly in section; and Fig. 3, a detailed section in linexw of Fig. 1, illustrating the cross-head and its connections and the construction and arrangemen of the feed-pump for the engine.

My invention relates to the employment, in connection with a naphtha engine, of anovel safety device, whereby, in the event of a failu re from any cause of the naphtha-vapor exhausted from theworking-eylinder to condense, the engine will automatically cease its movement and the vaporizing-burners be extinguished, so as to prevent the possibility olan accidental ignition of the naphtha orits vapor and a liability to lire therefrom.

It consists in the combination, with the pump by which the retort of the engine is fed with naphtha, and with the condenser into which the naphtha-vapor is discharged from the exhaust-port of the engine, of an air-tight safety-chamber, which connects at the bottom with the supply-pipe of the feed-pump and at the top by a very small connecting-pipe with the upper portion of the naphtha-reservoir, and into which the dischargepipeirom the condenser is made to open, whereby in the event of a discharge of gas or vapor into said chamber from the condenser the suction of the feed-pump will be broken and the supply of naphtha to the retort and burners be thereby cut off.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the shell inclosing the retort or vaporgenerator of the engine; 13, its working-cylinder; 0, its valve-chest; D, the shaft; D, the fly-wheel; E, the condensing-coil; F, the condensing tank; G, the naphtha tank or reser- 5o voir, and H the naphtha-feed pump.

I represents the pump driven by the en gine, and whose disehargepipe Jis connected with the condensing-tank F, so that the cold water delivered from the pump is made to pass over and around the condensing-coil E before it is finally conveyed to the receiving main or reservoir by the pipe K. (See Fig. 2.)

The eylinder'head, and also the head L, by which the main shaft of the engine is coupled 6c to the water-pump I and to the feed-pump H, together with the cranks and eccentrics on the main shaft operating the cross-head and valvegear, (see Fig. 3,) are all inclosed within an air tight metallic casing, 0, so that any escape of vapor or naphtha at the joints of the piston-rod is caught and retained within said casing, and the moving parts are lubricated thereby.

The generator is of customary form, consist- 7c ing, chiefly, of a series of superimposed connected flat helical coils, i i i, constituting a retort, B, which is exposed to the flames of a vaporburner, 2, placed beneath them within the casing A. This burner is supplied with vapor from the retort, said vapor being admixed with air by means of an injector or as pirator, 3. The remainder of the vapor passes directly from the retort to the valve chest 0, through the central vertical tube, 4-, and thence to the workingcylinder B of the engine, to produce in the usual manner, by its expansion therein,'the reciprocating movements of the piston. The vapor exhausted from the cylinder at each stroke of the piston is discharged into the condensing-coil E, which, being kept cool by the flow of water from the pump I through the condensing-tank 'or chamber F, will cause the vapor passing through the coil to condense back into its original liquid form in readiness to be returned to the retort.

The feed-pump H (see Fig. 3) is connected directly with the lower end of the retort R by means of a pipe, S, (see Fig. 1 and dotted lines, Fig. 2,) and also with the supply tank or reservoir of naphtha, G, by means of a pipe, M, governed by a valve, N.

In the use of engines of this class for propellingboatsthecondensing-tankis notneeded, the condensingpipes E being led outside of the boat to be submerged in the water in which it floats.

In the foregoing particulars the engine as described is of a well-known type and pre sents no special features of novelty.

My invention relates to the construction and use, in connection with an engine of this description in which the Vapor of naphtha or other inflammable liquid or compound is employed, of a safety device, which consists of an air-tight vessel or chamber, 1?, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) connected at its lower end directly with the feed pipe M (extending from the naphtha-supply tank or reservoir G to the naphtha-feed pump H) at a point intermediate the feed-valve N and the pump, and so adjusted .that, so long as there remains any naphtha in the reservoir and the feed-pipe valve N is open, there shall be a supply in the chamber sufficient to cover the opening of the feedpipe therein.

The discharge end of the condensing coil or pipe E is carried to the upper end of the chamber P by means of a pipe, T, which opens therein. A vent-tube, WV, of much smaller diameter, is carried from the upper end of the chamber to the top of the naphtha-tank G, or to some other point at which the free vapor of naphtha escaping through said tube may be discharged with entire safety. The casing L is also connected with the chamber P by means of a vent-tube, V, which may be connected, however, for convenience, with the pipe T, leading to said chamber, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the operation of the engine fitted with my improved safety device, so long as the condenser coil or pipe E is properly cooled by a supply of water thereto, so that the condensation of the hot vapor exhausted and discharged from the working-cylinderis properly effected, the condensed liquid in the coil or pipe is driven forward as it collects by means of the pressure of the vapor entering the pipe, and is discharged into the safety-chamber P, from whence it is drawn by the action of the pump H and returned to the retort R, the deficiency in the supply thus obtained, due to the amount of vapor consumed in the burner 2, being made up by the admission of the needful amount through the valve N from the tank Gr.

It is evident that so long as the condenser works properly, so that the exhaust-vapor from the engine is converted into liquid naphtha and the feed-pump is fully supplied there by, there is no danger whatever due to the presence of vapor in the engine; but in case the condenser fails to operate properly from any cause, as from a failure of the water-supply from the pump I to the condensing-tank F, so that the exhaust-vapor passes through the condensing-coils and is discharged as vapor into the vessel P, its pressure therein will displace and drive back the naphtha there from through the valve N, or otherwise will vaporize it by its heat, and will thereby operate to effectually destroy the action of the pump, so that it will no longer operate to draw a supply of naphtha from the tank to be forced into the retort and burners, in consequence of which the movements of the engine will at once be arrested. This automatic action of the vapor will take place the moment any escape thereof, which might operate to produce a fire or an explosion about the engine or in the tank, begins to occur.

I claim as my invention- In a naphtha-engine, the combination, with the condenser or condensing-coil, the feedpump, the supply-pipe, and the supply-tank, of a closed vessel, substantially as described, communicating at its lower end with the supply-pipe between the pump and tank and connected directly with the condenser or condensing-coil to receive the discharge therefrom,

substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

In testimony whereof'I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OH AS. L. SEABURY. 

